Method of sealing card board boxes



July 2, 1935.

R. E. ZERUNEITH 2,006,530

METHOD OF SEALING CARD BOARD BOXES Original Filed April 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I -1:: A T

' INVEZVTOR. flupaLF Z /?U/VE/ 7/14 A TTORNEY.

July 2, 1935. R. E. ZERUNEITH METHOD OF SEALING CARD BOARD BOXES Original Filed April 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVEN'TOR. 0001. F 5. Z E/FU/VE/ 7/;

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 2, 1935 Application Apr-i123, 1931,

erial No. 532,382

Renewed September 7, 1933 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful method of sealing card board boxes after the boxes have been packed and closed, in such a manner as to prevent the unauthorized exchange of the contents of the package.

As an illustration of the purpose of my invention, I will refer to the conventional package used for shipping radio tubes from manufacturers to dealers, which boxes consist of a generally rectangular package having suitable cushioning stufling and containing radio tubes. When a purchaser returns a defective tube to the dealer or when the customer trades in a set of tubes, the dealer, unless he is scrupulously honest, will withdraw the new tubes from the original packages and put the returned or traded in" tubes in said packages with a view of passing suchtubes onto an unsuspecting, less discriminating or ignorant customer. This substitution of imperfect goods is by no means limited to radio tubes and is more or less prevalent in other fields also.

I have therefore devised a novel method which consists of setting up or forming a folding card board box, placing the desired goods in the box, turning in or folding the end tabs which close the end openings of said box, engaging an end flap which is adapted to overlap the end of the box with a bifurcated member which supports 30 the flap while a stitch is driven through the top of the box and said flap.

My invention further consists of various other novel features of construction and advantage all as hereinafter described and claimed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of an anvil blade used in carrying out my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2- -2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary views illustrating various steps forming part of my novel method.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the right hand portion of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 represents a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing a box, one end of which has been stitched, and illustrating the process of inserting a stitch on the other end of said box.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a box sealed according to my novel method.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts, I designates an anvil blade embodying my invention and comprising a body portion having the holes 3 for the reception of bolts 4 whereby the blade may be secured to a wire stitching machine 5. The blade i is provided with the tapered flattened head 6, which is bent upon itself as at 1 to form the stitch supporting and deflecting member 8 which is separated from the head 6 by the slot 9 and which is provided with the concaved recess l0 hereinafter further referred to.

l2 designates a card board box comprising the bottom ii, the top H and the side walls IS. The ends of the box are closed by tabs I 6, which form extensions of the side walls l5 and are folded across the open end of the box. The end flaps II are extensions of the bottom l3 and are creased at l8 to form the flaps l9 which are inserted between the upper edges of the tabs l6 and the top H of the box I 2. The object of the present invention is to put a staple 20 through the portion IQ of the end flap i1 and the top M of the box as will be seen from Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The staple 20 must be driven from the outside and, obviously, it must be driven after the box has been completely assembled and the ends closed. To accomplish this, I insert the edge of the flap portion l9 into the slot 8 of the anvil blade with the flap portion l9 passing under the head 6 and over the anvil blade member 8 as will be best seen from Fig. 4. With the flap portion thus engaged, the box I! is swung in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 to insert the head 6 of the anvil blade I, carrying the flap portion H! between the edges of' the end tabs l6 and the top ll of the box as will be seen from Fig. 5. A stitch 20 is then formed by the stitching machine 5 and is driven through the top I4 and the flap portion 19 of the box. The free ends of the Wire or staple from which the stitch 20 is formed are deflected 'by impact with the concaved slot 8.

, After the stitch is made the box is manipulated to release the flap portion l9 from engagement with the slot 9 of the head 6 of the anvil blade I. By this method the radiotube or other object is first put into the box H, the end flaps l6 are turned in to close the ends of the box and then the end portion I9 of the end flap I1 is engaged by the slot 9 and inserted in place to receive the stitch 20 from the stitching machine 5. Once so stitched it is impossible to withdraw the end flap I! to remove the contents of the box without tearing the top of the box at the stitch or tear- 50 ing the end flap l1 at the crease l8 and in either event the box is so destroyed as to be of no value for further use. It will thus be seen that I have devised a new method of sealing boxes by stitching the end flaps thereof after the box has been completely formed and that I have pro duced a novel box which is sealedafter it is packed and in such a manner as to prevent its further use after it is once opened, thus preventing the unauthorized or surreptitious exchange of the contents of said box.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. The method ofclosing an open ended folding container having side walls, end tabs adapted to close the open end of said container and an end flap adapted to overlap said end tabs and to have the terminal thereof inserted between" :tainerso that said terminal lies against the under ,side of the juxtaposed wall of said container and finally driving a stitch through said juxtaposed ;wa1l and said terminal.

edges of said tabs and the juxtaposed wall .oia the edges of said tabs and therjuxtaposedzwall of said container, which consists in engaging said terminal in a slotted, flat anvil blade; inserting said anvil blade and said terminal between the said container so that said terminal lies against the underside of said juxtaposed wall, driving a stitch through said juxtaposed wall and said terminal and finally disengaging said terminal from said anvil blade.

2. The method of closing an open ended folding container having side walls and an end flap adapted to be folded over the open end of said container and to have the terminal thereof inserted within the open end of said container, which consistsinengaging' said terminal in a slotted fiat anvil blade, inserting said anvil blade and said terminal into the open end of said con- RUDOLF E. ZERUNEI'I'H. 

